Folia Canonica 4. (2001)

STUDIES - Pablo Gefaell: Clerical Celibacy

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PABLO GEFAELL

the norm of celibacy has more solid theological and pastoral foundations than in the past.34 Paul Vi’s encyclical on priestly celibacy explained that from the beginning the Church had an intuition of the more fundamental motives underlying the meaning of priestly celibacy, although it had not yet a complete theology about the motives which unite celibacy and priesthood; but the Holy Spirit helped to delve deeper «in the understanding of the mystery of Christ and of the Church. In this process the experience gained through the ages from a deeper penetration of spiritual things also has its part» (Sacerdotalis caelibatus n. 18). Today scholars and pastors have made great progress in the theology of priestly celibacy.35

This is so true that, in my opinion, now the problem rests less in the theological justification of celibacy than in the justification of the contrary praxis. Vatican II, dealing with celibacy states: «This holy synod, while it commends ecclesiastical celibacy, in no way intends to alter that different discipline which legitimately flourishes in the Eastern Churches» (PO n. 16, cf. also PDV n. 29). The reason given for that discipline is based generically on the influence of the Holy Spirit in the history of the Church: «[i]f the legislation of the Eastern Church is different in the matter of discipline with regard to clerical celibacy, (...) this is due to the different historical background of that most noble part of the Church, a situation which the Holy Spirit has providentially and supernaturally influenced» (Sacerdotalis caelibatus, n. 38). But nothing more is explained.36

So, it seems clear that the Church is «convinced of the profound theological and pastoral motives upholding the relationship between celibacy and the priesthood».37 But what does that relationship consist in?

34R.M. Garrity, Spiritual and Canonical Values in Mandatory Priestly Celibacy, in Studia Canonica 27 (1993) 217-260.

35 Among others, cf. B. De Margerie, Christ, the Creator, Redeemer and Rewarder of Human Sexuality: The Mystery of Human Sexuality in Connection to Priestly Celibacy, in Social Justice Review (1973) 184—194; A. Amato, II celibato di Cristo nelle tratazioni cristologiche contemporanee, in Ephemerides Liturgicae 95 (1981) 363-395; A. Miralles, La unidad esponsal entre Cristo y la Iglesia y su proyección en los sacramentos del bautismo, orden y matrimonio, in P. RodrÍGUEZ, P. López, et al. (eds.), Pueblo de Dios, Cuerpo de Cristo, Templo del Espiritu Santo (Implicaciones estructurales y pastorales en la «communio»). XV. Simposio Internacional de Teológia de la Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona 1996, 387-396. St. Jaki, Theology of Priestly Celibacy, Scepter, Princeton (NJ) 1998; Th. J. McGovern, Priestly Celibacy Today, Princeton (NJ) 1998.

36 Some studies on married clergy can be found in the monographic volume of Proche- Orient Chrétien 44 (1994) 1-4, entitled Prêtres mariés dans les Églises orientales catholiques. Étude du contexte Libanais: the most part of it has a sociological approach to the issue. See also R. Clément, La vie du clergé marié en Orient, in Proche-Orient Chrétien 16 (1966) 354-378.1 have been informed of a recent canonical study on married clergy but, as it is not yet published, I had not the opportunity of seeing it. Cf. St. Sodaro, Keshi. Preti sposati nel diritto canonico orientale, Trieste 2000.